In this article, Sabina Mammadova shares free online professional development opportunities you can use to unlock your potential as an educator by enhancing your skills, and inspire your colleagues
As an educator, the quote of Malala Yousafzai inspired me in my career life, she said that one child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world. I believe that we can make a better place for the world with education.
If a company wants to improve students’ skills and contribute to the education process, it can help the development of teachers. Teacher development courses are offered by several organizations for contributing education systems of different countries by improving the skills, and knowledge of educators, and making some resources reachable and use them free.
Adobe Education Exchange involves free teaching resources and opportunities for professional development such as courses, and you will able to get a certificate, or badge after completing the course. You can choose the types of opportunities you would get benefits. For example, teaching resources, professional learning opportunities, or collections based on a particular concept. Subjects also can be chosen on this platform, there are options: Art&Design, Design, Humanities, Mathematics, Science&Engineering. Social Sciences, etc. Even choosing the type of product, and education level exists in Adobe Education Exchange.
Microsoft is one of the major companies that offer tons of opportunities for educators to professional development. The Educator Center of Microsoft has educator training and professional development resources on students centered learning, blended, remote, hybrid learning, leadership, and collaboration skills in education, STEM, coding, social and emotional learning, and Microsoft Instructional Toolbox. Microsoft product guides on Teams for Education, OneNote, Minecraft Education, PowerPoint, Office 365, Immersive Reader, Flip, and Reading Progress can be beneficial if you have an interest to use digital tools of the company in your lessons, they are really helpful to teachers, and students. Educator Programs and instructor materials also can be used for free. Digitalization of education can be implemented to use several digital learning tools, and designing lesson plans with these resources.
National Geographic Society - Online courses for educators
National Geographic Society is also supporting teachers’ development through several courses. These courses will help to encourage to have an explorer mindset in students. Courses involve videos, illustrations, diagrams, reading materials, and checking the knowledge, there is a test in the final part. After completing all tasks successfully in the course, teachers will be able to get a certificate at the end of the course. Topics are universal, and all subject teachers may benefit from these courses.
British Council offers different subject teachers the to take part in a variety of free, and online courses. For these courses, you need to register in advance and follow the deadline, all assignments are assigned with specific due dates. Concepts for online courses are updated regularly, and successfully completed participants get the free certificate, there is a Facebook page for this community, it also gives a chance to network, and share your achievement with other educators.
Coursera has been involved to have various courses in different fields. As an educator, you can also find several free online courses on the platform, and get a certificate after completing them. Coursera also offers scholarships for paid courses, and you can apply for this opportunity. Social, and emotional learning, child psychology, usage of several digital learning tools, to design online, blended learning and more topics on Education fields can be found on this platform.
Participating in courses, seminars, training, or workshops can increase the knowledge and form several skills of teachers. I have no doubt that educators will have more confidence in designing lesson plans, assessments, and assignments after these professional development opportunities. Sharing experiences and certificates also can inspire, and support other educators. Being online for these opportunities, also gives a chance to teachers, to manage their time, and make a schedule for themselves for completing the task. Teachers may join the community of educators who completed these online courses, and give the information to others about their challenges, obstacles, and success.
In addition, all teachers from different levels of improved countries can apply for these courses, and as we know that sometimes courses are not affordable. For this reason, these free opportunities can be more appropriate for teachers with low financial conditions. I hope that these opportunities for online professional development and resources can be beneficial for educators, and their students.
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